Berlin offering free corona quick tests from Monday
Since Sunday, Berliners have been able to book an appointment online. Here's all the info you need.
Berliner Zeitung/Markus Wächter
Berlin-Starting this Monday, Berliners can get tested for the coronavirus free of charge at 16 centres across the city. The first of these facilities will begin testing at 9am on Monday. The city government is calling on Berliners to get tested once a week. The online appointment system began accepting appointments Sunday evening at jetzt-testen.berlin.
Through a relatively simply three-step booking process Berliners can book a test appointment at their preferred centre.
Where are the quick tests being performed?
The 16 free test centres are divided into "large" and "small". The 4 large test centres are located in Wilmersdorf, Tiergarten, Kreuzberg and Lichtenberg. The 14 small test centres are scattered throughout the twelve Berlin districts. At the large test centres, prior online registration is only requested. At the small test centres it's mandatory.
The address of the 4 large test centres:
Wilmersdorf: Kurt-Weiß-Sporthalle, Franzensbader Straße 16, 14193 Berlin
Tiergarten: Poststadion, Lehrter Straße 59, 10557 Berlin
Kreuzberg: Carl-von-Ossietzky-Schule, Blücherstraße 46-47, 10961 Berlin
Lichtenberg: Max-Taut-Schule, Fischerstraße 36, 10317 Berlin
The large test centres are open Monday to Friday, 9am to 6pm.
The addresses of the 12 small test centres:
Tempelhof-Schöneberg: Mariendorfer Damm 64, 12109 Berlin
Marzahn-Hellersdorf: Janusz-Korczak-Str. 17, 12627 Berlin
Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf: Zillestraße 10, 10585 Berlin
Treptow-Köpenick: Spreestraße 6, 12439 Berlin
Lichtenberg: Rummelsburger Str. 13, 10315 Berlin
Friedrichshain-Kreuzberg: Prinzenstr. 23, 10969 Berlin
Pankow: Hauptstr. 29a, 13158 Berlin
Neukölln: Bat-Yam-Platz 1, 12353 Berlin
Reinickendorf: Antonienstr. 51, 13403 Berlin
Spandau: Schönwalder Allee 26, 13587 Berlin (Hintereingang Haus 2)
Steglitz-Zehlendorf: Kirchstr. 1–3, 14163 Berlin
Wedding: Müllerstraße 146, 13353 Berlin
The small test centres are open daily. Opening hours vary and can be found at jetzt-testen.berlin.
Will further test sites be established?
The range of testing options will be expanded in the near future to include "Test-To-Go" stations. These could be pharmacies, for example.
How does a corona rapid antigen test work?
The rapid tests are carried out by trained personnel who insert cotton swabs deep into the nose or throat. The result of a SARS-CoV-2 antigen test is available after about 15 to 20 minutes on site.
What if a corona rapid test comes back positive?
"Basically, anyone who has a positive rapid test must immediately self-isolate and get retested with a PCR test," says Berlin's health senator Dilek Kalayci (SPD). These PCR tests will also be free of charge. Those affected can find more information at the test centres.